[V8] Top speed of a '90 V8Q - Test track

[Ed Kellock]

Theoretical top speed can easily be determined.  It just gets really,
really tricky when you try to tackle aerodynamic limitations.

Ed

On 3/8/07, Scott Simmons <indischrot at gmail.com> wrote:
> Can't one just figure out top speed with highest RPM + gear ratios +
> tire circumference?  I thought there was a way to figure it all out,
> theoretically...
>
> Showing my lack of math skills,
> Scott S
>
> NicolCS at aol.com wrote:
>
> >These top-speed stories are great, I especially liked the shot of the  speedo
> >at 152.  Here's my top-speed story, though it's not in my V8.
> >
> >In a prior life (late '80s) I was a development engineer for Honda. I was  at
> >the Honda banked oval test track in Tochigi testing what would be the '88
> >Prelude Si.  On the track, each progressively steeper lane had a posted
> >"neutral" speed at which the car would just go around the turn "automatically".
> >There was also a max speed for each lane. FYI, if you lost traction by driving
> >above the max in a lower lane, the steeper and steeper lanes above formed a
> >handy launching ramp for your upcoming orbital attempt. =:-o  The  highest and
> >steepest lane didn't have a maximum speed.
> >
> >So here we were playing with spoiler angles on a European-spec Prelude and
> >my rider (the department chief) says "let's see what it will do".  The  speedo
> >was buried at 200 kph.  I kept an eye on the tachometer to see how  many rpms
> >beyond the end of the speedo we were going.  The tach went more  than 1000 rpm
> >beyond the end of the speedo. We later figured it out  and we were going 150
> >mph; in a car with 4-cylinders (albeit DOHC 16v and  Euro-spec).  Next he had
> >me move down to the second lane and repeat - that  took a little concentration
> >'cause the car had a bit of a "yaw  angle". (Pucker-factor at least 9.5.) He
> >said "just don't lose  it!!!"  The car felt great but the G-forces in the
> >turns were incredible  (the suspension was bottomed). The weirdest part was the
> >incredibly fast  rotation of the horizon as we entered and exited the turns - I
> >couldn't imagine  a car rotating that fast.  Quite a thrill.
> >Craig Nicol
> >90 V8Q
> >95 S6 Avant
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